Andre Masson (1896–1987), "Omens" ("Les Présages")

Color lithograph on paper, Dimensions: 48 x 64 cm (inside the mat)
numbered lower left: '44/10', signed in pencil lower right: 'Andre Masson'
In 1933, André Masson accomplished something that critics of the time considered a visual revolution. At the invitation of the great choreographer Léonide Massine, he designed the entire visual setting for the ballet “Les Présages” (Omens) for the Ballets Russes de Monte-Carlo, based on Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 5. Masson created a monumental backdrop that broke completely with traditional theatrical painting. Instead of realistic palaces or forests, the audience saw a cosmic, surreal landscape. The stage was dominated by swirling suns, comets, and astrological symbols.
Masson abandoned the classic tulle skirts in favor of tight-fitting leotards, which transformed the dancers into living graphic symbols. Each group of dancers represented a different force: Passion was dressed in blood-red, Destiny wore dark, almost insect-like costumes, while Action and Frivolity wore brighter, dynamic colors. At the time, many considered the combination of modern, “strange” Surrealism with Tchaikovsky’s classical music to be a scandal. However, the success was stunning, and Masson’s costumes and set designs became legendary as some of the most innovative in the history of dance.
Masson’s contribution lay in the fact that he was the first to bring the aesthetics of Surrealism directly into symphonic ballet.
Forty-three years later, in 1976, Masson returned to his sketches from 1933 to create a graphic interpretation of them.
In 1976, André Masson was 80 years old and was already regarded as a “living legend” of Surrealism. The publication of *Les Présages* was retrospective in nature—the artist wanted to document his most significant achievements in the fields of theater and ballet in the form of high-quality prints.

Publisher: Éditions de la Différence, Paris
Produced by: Atelier Mourlot